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Backtobanks

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Everything posted by Backtobanks

  1. Backtobanks
    I remember everybody complaining about the money and the length of the contract when Hendry signed Jones. I wrote then that it was the price that Hendry had to pay to get him and trading him with $10 million owed over 2 years wouldn't be a problem if that's what Hendry wanted to do. Now everybody is writing about what a bargain Jones is and it should be easy to find a trade partner because of his reasonable contract. After all is said and done, Jones was a good signing and it should go in the plus column for Hendry.
  2. Backtobanks
    Heyman is entitled to his opinions, but there are a lot of players that I would disagree with.
  3. Backtobanks
    The headline should read "Insert Name interested in insert team." In the first space, pick from Zito, Scmidt, Soriano, CLee, etc. In the second space, pick from Yankees, Mets, Cubs, etc. (or any other team with a ton of money to spend)
  4. Backtobanks
    Michael Restovich signed a minor league deal with the Nationals.
  5. Backtobanks
    You really think that? No offense, but I think it's silly to say that a backup catcher who starts 30 games a year is more important than the guys who pitch the 6th, 7th, and 8th innings of close games. I do think so. 30 starts from backup catcher is worth more than 30 appearances by a terrible middle reliever in the 6th inning. FYI, I define middle relief as everyone other than a setup man and closer. The back end of the pen is somewhat important, but middle relief isn't worth spit. The fact that Hendry has dumped so much payroll into the bullpen in the past 3 seasons is insanity. Your bullpen should be fixed only after your lineup and rotation have been properly constructed. It's like building a house and starting with the roof. The difference is that a backup C might start 30 games while many middle relief pitchers get into more than 50 games.
  6. Backtobanks
    Besides, signing relievers is not proactive. It's going straight to the used car lot while everybody else is looking for new models. It's not much of an accomplishment to come away with the premier middle relievers on the market. Middle relievers don't win you baseball games. They help you not lose them. But the Cubs have had lineup and rotation weakness for a while now, and Jim ignored both to solidify a secondary unity. I don't agree with this assessment. Signing middle relievers can be as you described, but the Cubs signed the premiere middle relievers available in each of the years we're talking about. These are all guys who had stellar numbers at the time of signing with closer potential. That helps you win. There is no such an animal as a "premire middle releivers". There are only middle relivers who stink and those who are medicore. The very nature of pitching in middle relief spells medicore. I understand what you're trying to say, but it's wrong. There are premier middle relievers. Premier meaning the best of the best. So they are the best of the best of what they do....pitch in middle relief. Some players consistently perform extremely well in the middle relief role and I would consider those players premier middle relievers. I guess. It's like picking the skinniest pig over 300 pounds. The difference between Bob Howry and [insert name here] is not that much. Then why would someone like Howry as opposed to "fill in the blank" be desirable to teams in a trade. With starters trained to go 5 or 6 innings, 2 or 3 relief pitchers are needed in most games.
  7. Backtobanks
    Fixed
  8. Backtobanks
    While campaigning, Judy Barr Topinka said Blagojevich ought to manage the Cubs because they're a bunch of losers. Another reason to vote against Topinka.
  9. Backtobanks
    I understand wanting to play close to home, but this will probably be Schmidt's last big payday and I wouldn't narrow the choices (or at least announce that I had). Let the Yankees, Mets, and Red Sox drive up the bidding before you make a decision.
  10. Backtobanks
    Florida? Do you think his ego would accept the league minimum for a salary.
  11. Backtobanks
    I'd steer clear of Mulder because of the injury. A personal anecdote about Mulder. My son played against him in high school and got two hits off of him. My son was never an offensive threat, so I feel that Mulder is nothing special.
  12. Backtobanks
    Hopefully Derosa would be the Cubs' super utility sub.
  13. Backtobanks
    These are the kind of players (Baldelli & Crawford) that the Cubs ought to be going after if they're available. Young players who can contribute next year and in the future. Forget the rumors about Bonds or Alou. An OF of Murton, Baldelli/Crawford, and Pie would be set for the next decade.
  14. Backtobanks
    Sometimes the best trades are the ones you don't make. There was a whole lot of people on this site clamoring to get Wilkerson when he was available.
  15. Backtobanks
    What do you do with him after 2007? He'll be a free agent. Do you sign him to a deal comparable to Veritek's? Do you let him walk? There's an obvious way to handle it. Trade Barret and Z, who will be enormously expensive free agents after 2007. Their trade value is very high. Use it to get parts that will help in 2008. Forget about 2007. Not saying Hendry will do this, but I would. The parts you had better be talking about should include the likes of Cabrera, Liriano, Santana, etc. and not somebody's prospect that turns into a AAAA star.
  16. Backtobanks
    I don't think Hendry is going to fill one hole by making another hole. I can't see Barrett going anywhere. As for people like Murton or Hill, I think you had better be talking about a real impact player (Cabrera, Arod, Tejada, etc.). With all of the holes the Cubs have, it doesn't make sense to fill a hole by opening another. I would think the Cubs would try to make trades using their young pitchers, their bullpen, Jones, Izturis/Cedeno, and prospects.
  17. Backtobanks
    More pressure on Hendry to re-sign ARam now that one of his replacements is gone.
  18. Backtobanks
    That's just his agent talking. I'm sure he goes from town to town drumming up business for his client.
  19. Backtobanks
    Not needed in baseball. The quote in the Tribune did mention "diversity" in interviewing.
  20. Backtobanks
    Probably because there's a good chance he will outproduce the 30 year-olds who are asking for $15-$20 million per year.
  21. Backtobanks
    So much for the rumor of trading Sheffield for "next to nothing".
  22. Backtobanks
    I agree with what you said about Wuertz, Eyre, and Howry. Heilman has some potential, but right now he is the Glendon Rusch of the Mets (filling in where needed and doing a mediocre job). One of our young pitchers or prospects ought to be enough. Trading them Izturis would be great.
  23. Backtobanks
    While I like the idea of Heilman, depending on the cost, it does make me wonder if Hendry has other trade plans brewing. I understand that the Cubs would love to go into the season with 6-7 starters available, but early speculation had such names as Prior, Miller, Guzman, Ryu, Mateo, Marshall, and Marmol all in contention for the 5th position. Hopefully the targeting of Heilman means Hendry has something else brewing with a few of the players I have named.
  24. Backtobanks
    Bellhorn/Theriot coming would provide Piniella with options for the middle infield and outfield late in the game and would cost less than a Millon between the two. This would allow Hendry to spend big on Craig Wilson. I want Wilson if Jones is with the Cubs next season or not. He's a big RH power bat off the bench that can RF/LF/1B/C/DH/PH he'll probably get around 4 million next season. We don't need a defensive wiz on the bench. I'd prefer they trade him, but otherwise he needs to play. I agree totally about Craig Wilson. He is the perfect platoon player if Jones is still the RF and would be great at giving DLee or Murton a day off. The problem is that he will probably go to a team that will offer him a starting position.
  25. Backtobanks
    As frustrated as many people are with Prior, it has been stated many times, you can't trade him while he has almost zero trade value. I can imagine the posts berating Hendry after he trades Prior and then goes on to have a Hall Of Fame career. You have to keep Prior and hope for a complete recovery or find a trade partner who is willing to give you value based on Prior's potential.
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